Optics4Birding Reviews

We see most of the day optics on the US market here at Opticics4Birding. We don't review everything but rather products that "stick out" at their price point. We also often get products before they hit the general market and spend weeks or possibly months with them in the field before we write a review. We strive to make these reviews very comprehensive and they are highly sought after in the optics industry.

Nikon Monarch Binoculars

Beginning in 2012, Nikon significantly expanded and remodeled their popular
line, coming out with ultimately three main branches of Monarchs, named,
oddly enough, the Monarch 3, the Monarch 5 and the Monarch 7. And that
doesn’t include the 36-mm Monarchs or the 50-mm Monarchs, at least
so far. Confused? Don’t worry about it! We all are. All you need
to know is that the world’s most popular binocular, the old 42-mm
Monarchs, are the ones now called Monarch 5 binoculars. The quality hasn’t
changed, except to go up a bit, and the price is pretty much the same.
The Monarch 5 is still Nikon's medium-cost binocular that includes many
features usually found only in higher-priced optics. All Monarch 5 binoculars
are compact, lightweight, 42-mm, roof prism designs available in 8x, 10x
and 12x magnifications which sell for $279.95, $299.95 and $329.95 respectively.
All three are available in Team REALTREE® camouflage versions, which
typically cost about $30 more than the non-camo models. The binocular
is nitrogen-purged, and sealed to be waterproof, dust-proof and externally
fog-proof. Our assessment is that for these prices with the kind of features
these binoculars have, Monarch 5s are an excellent value for a 42-mm roof
prism binocular.

At just 5.8 inches long and
5 inches wide, and weighing a feather-light 21 oz., the Monarch 5 binoculars
won’t cause anyone fatigue. Nikon made the binocular even more comfortable
with ergonomically-designed molding to the black rubber armoring (non-camo
models!) and a nice no-slip surface with shallow thumb grooves just below
a flange on which the strap attaches. The strap attachment does not interfere
notably with the hands. Overall, this binocular is very comfortable to
use.

The 8x42 Monarch 5 has a 330-foot
field of view at 1000 yards while the 10x and 12x models come in at 314
and 262 feet respectively. In our hands, all three versions close-focus
to about 7 feet with some field separation. The focus knob is large and
easily accessed, and needs just about 1.25 turns to go from close-focus
to infinity. The action is smooth and easy, making sharp focus quick and
simple to achieve. Overall, the Monarch 5 is of average brightness for
a 42-mm objective binocular. The lenses and prisms are fully multi-coated
and phase-coated to improve optical performance. Additionally, Nikon has
added a new dielectric coating to the prisms of the Monarch 5s for enhanced
light transmission. There is some field curvature to the Monarchs so the
focus gets a bit soft towards the outer 20% of the field. In bright light
when focused on high-contrast objects, the Monarch 5 shows a notable chromatic
aberration: a separation of the visible light to yield a prism effect.

The 8x42 Monarch 5 has eye
relief of 19.6 mm, which is excellent, but the 10x and 12x versions are
only about 15.5 mm which is a bit on the short side. The eyecups twist
up to full extension, and click-stop both there, in fully closed position
and in two stable positions in between, meaning there is a comfortable
setting for everyone. The click-stops lock them in place, preventing accidental
collapse in the field. The eyecups are made of pliable rubber, and are
comfortable against the face. And while we’re talking about comfortable,
the Nikon Monarch 5 binoculars have an interpupillary distance range of
54-74 mm. That’s a huge spread relative to most roof prism binoculars,
and that means that there is a comfortable position for just about everybody
with the Monarch 5s. The diopter adjustment is on the right barrel and
traditional: it is a rubber ring that twists in either direction to adjust
the focus of the right ocular. The mechanism is stiff enough to prevent
it from slipping much in the field.

The rainguard is a pair of
hard rubber cups joined by a flexing linker. The cups do not fit very
snugly over the oculars and can sometimes dislodge easily when accidentally
bumped. However, the strap threads through a bracket on the left side,
and the similar bracket on the right side is gapped so it can be affixed
or removed from the strap on that side, which prevents loss of the rainguard
if it is accidentally dislodged. This is an adequate design for a rain
guard. The objective lens caps are hard plastic and are anchored in place
by an attachment on the underside of the barrels. Having tethered objective
lens caps is an improvement over the old design.

The strap is a simple nylon
one, widening at the neck, with a patch of cloth padding sewn into the
inner side for extra comfort. On a regular roof-prism binocular it would
be insufficient for comfort, but on the flyweight Monarch 5s, it is all
that is needed. The cordura case is spacious and features a flap that
closes with a Velcro patch, leaving the binocular strap comfortably free
so the whole ensemble can be comfortably worn over the shoulder or around
the neck. Alternatively, there is a wide, nylon, belt-mounting loop on
the back of the case, allowing it to be conveniently worn at the waist.
The rational design of the case adds value to the binocular – it
too will be useful in the field.

In the end, there a lot of
good things to be said about the Nikon Monarch 5 binoculars. Their small
size and lightweight design make them very comfortable to carry and their
ergonomic refinements make them feel great in the hands. And while the
optical performance is not in the class of Nikon’s superb EDG LX
binoculars, it is not by any means poor. While obviously aimed at the
hunting sector (birders typically don’t request camo!), the Monarch
5s clearly have a much broader market appeal.